Ever since that fateful day in 2001, emergency respondents and others throughout the country have commemorated the loss and sacrifice from the September 11th attacks in New York with annual memorial services. While most services as expected, are typically somber ceremonies, firefighters in the island nation of New Zealand performed a rousing tribute to 9/11 victims with a cultural Haka dance. 

Endemic to New Zealand’s indigenous inhabitants, the Māori, the haka is an ancient cultural dance traditionally performed on the war battlefield, as well as when groups united in peace. The poetic phrasings of the haka typically describe ancestors and events in the tribe’s history. Nowadays the haka is done in honor of someone, or to exhibit a unifying sentiment at important events such as weddings, cultural events, and to challenge rivals at sporting events. New Zealand’s all star rugby team the All Blacks famously begin every game with a traditional haka dance to show unity and energize the team and the crowd. The loud yelling, foot stomping, body slapping and bulging eyes with tongues sticking out strike fear and awe in many who behold it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TevVIWF4GdU
Video clip from the moving, cultural haka tribute and emotional memorial service.

 

This year the bold, powerful dance was part of the 9/11 Memorial Firefighter Stair climb, which is an annual event held at the Auckland Sky Tower. Each year local firefighters ascend the 1,000 foot tower donned in full fire safety gear, each with bibliographies or photos of their fallen comrades in New York. The stair climb challenge is said to honor and reflect the staggering feat performed by the NYFD and other service officers in their ascent up the 110 story ill-fated twin tower buildings in 2001, and also helps organizations that provide support to firemen injured on the job.

Steven San Filippo, a New York firefighter who was a part of the rescue team at Ground Zero, was also a guest of honor at the Auckland memorial ceremony, where the names of the 343 New York firefighters who perished were read along with the names of the New Zealand firefighters who were killed serving their country. More than 160 local firefighters performed their powerful haka tribute in honor of their comrades who were killed in the line of duty at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Ultimately it was fitting that this dance, considered to be a fierce display of a tribe’s pride, strength and unity was performed in honor of the first respondents who lost their lives in a show of bravery by demonstrating strength, unity and pride for their nation.